Throughout this piece, I will be referencing Win Probability and Implied Run Total statistics that are generated using the Over/Under and Lines at BettingPros.com.
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Value Plays
Pitcher
| NAME (Team) | OPPONENT | PRICE | MATCHUP | RISK |
| Urias (LAD) | vs. Giants | $7,600 | 5/5 | Low |
| Wainwright (STL) | vs. Pirates | $7,700 | 5/5 | Medium |
| McCullers Jr. (HOU) | vs. Mariners | $8,000 | 5/5 | Medium |
Urias gets to face the Giants in a game where the home team has a 75% win probability and the visitors have an implied run total of 2.06. He is pitching for the biggest favorite on the slate, and his price tag is less than most studs. Wainwright is also at home in a plus matchup, and his Cardinals are -175 against the visiting Pirates. Wainwright will also benefit from being in a pitcher’s park. Let’s be honest, anyone starting at home for the Astros against a soft Mariners lineup would get consideration here. McCullers Jr. is the beneficiary this time, and Houston is a strong -275 favorite in the game.
Catcher/1B
| NAME (Team) | OPPONENT | PRICE | MATCHUP | RISK |
| Votto (CIN) | vs. Tigers | $3,000 | 4/5 | Low |
| Sano (MIN) | @ White Sox | $3,000 | 3/5 | Medium |
| Olson (OAK) | vs. Angels | $3,200 | 3/5 | Medium |
FanDuel does not require players to roster a catcher, and we will oblige with our suggestions here. Votto had a monster opening day, going 2 for 4 with a HR and 2 runs scored. He will continue to have opportunities for production as he hits second in a strong Reds lineup. The Twins also sport a dangerous lineup, and Sano benefits from hitting in the middle of a batting order that just posted 10 runs on opening day. Olson’s power cannot be overstated, and he displayed it on Friday night with a walk-off grand slam.
2B
| NAME (Team) | OPPONENT | PRICE | MATCHUP | RISK |
| Hernandez (LAD) | vs. Giants | $2,900 | 5/5 | Low |
| Kingery (PHI) | vs. Marlins | $2,700 | 4/5 | Low |
| Wong (CIN) | vs. Pirates | $2,500 | 3/5 | Medium |
Why not stick with the hot bat? Hernandez is 5 for 10 with 5 RBIs and 4 runs scored on the young season. He continues to face a weak Giants pitching staff on Saturday. Kingery will face a lefty in Caleb Smith on Saturday. He had an .879 OPS against Southpaws in 2019. Wong will likely lead off for the Cardinals once again, where he will have opportunities to be driven in by the likes of Goldschmidt, DeJong, and Carpenter.
3B
| NAME (Team) | OPPONENT | PRICE | MATCHUP | RISK |
| Fletcher (LAA) | @ Athletics | $2,500 | 3/5 | Medium |
| Diaz (TB) | vs. Blue Jays | $3,000 | 3/5 | Medium |
| Turner (LAD) | vs. Giants | $3,100 | 5/5 | Low |
Fletcher and Diaz hit leadoff for their respective teams. Fletcher has the luxury of hitting in front of Mike Trout, of course. Turner has plenty of power, and he will get to face a Giants pitching staff that has surrendered a combined 17 runs to the Dodgers through its first two games of the season.
SS
| NAME (Team) | OPPONENT | PRICE | MATCHUP | RISK |
| Anderson (CWS) | vs. Twins | $2,900 | 3/5 | Low |
| Correa (HOU) | vs. Mariners | $3,200 | 5/5 | Low |
| Bichette (TOR) | @ Rays | $3,000 | 3/5 | Medium |
Anderson leads off for a strong White Sox lineup. While Hill is an above-average starter, Anderson still has the opportunity to reach base and be driven in by the hitters behind him. Correa hits for the heart of an Astros order that calls home to a park that sees players hit 10% more home runs. Bichette is another budget leadoff man coming off a solid 2019 campaign where he slashed .311/.358/.571.
OF
| NAME (Team) | OPPONENT | PRICE | MATCHUP | RISK |
| Jimenez (White Sox) | vs. Twins | $3,000 | 3/5 | Low |
| Laureano (Athletics) | vs. Angels | $2,800 | 3/5 | Low |
| Benintendi (Red Sox) | vs. Orioles | $2,700 | 5/5 | Low |
Jimenez is part of that powerful White Sox batting order that has such high hopes this season. He is coming off a rookie season in which he clocked 31 HRs and sported an .828 OPS. Laureano was locked in on opening day, as he powered the Athletics offense with a HR, 2B, BB, 3 R, and 2 RBIs. His Athletics have a solid 4.95 implied run total for Saturday’s home contest against the Angels. With the departure of Mookie Betts, Benintendi slides into the leadoff spot for the Red Sox. The Boston offense did not seem to miss Betts too much on opening day when they scored 13 runs.
5 Studs Worth Their Salary
- Clevinger, Indians ($10,400)
- Castillo, Reds ($9,800)
- Wheeler, Phillies ($9,000)
- Trout, Angels ($4,500)
- Bellinger, Dodgers ($4,400)
5 Notable Players to Fade
- Darvish, Cubs ($9,300)
- Acuña Jr., Braves ($4,300)
- Harper, Phillies ($3,900)
- Alonso, Mets ($3,900)
- Mondesi, Royals ($2,900)
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Shane Bryant is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Shane, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @ShaneBryant31.